Tupper man found dead in Malone parking lot (update)

November 30, 2012

MALONE - A Tupper Lake man was found dead in a stolen car in the parking lot of the Kmart here Thursday.

Malone police said they are investigating the death of Brad J. Eggsware, 25. A Kmart employee found Eggsware in a car in the parking lot at about 12:37 p.m.

"We believe he had been in the parking lot for a couple of days," said Malone village police Chief Christopher Premo.

Eggsware was buckled into the driver's seat but slumped over into the passenger seat, so he wasn't visible until people came close to the car, Premo said. A crack pipe was also found in the car, the chief said.

The red 2004 Pontiac station wagon Eggsware was in had been reported stolen Sunday from the village of Tupper Lake. Tupper Lake village police Chief Tom Fee told the Enterprise Eggsware was the prime suspect in the theft.

"We've been looking for him and the vehicle for the last two days now," Fee said Thursday night.

He said the search was aided by state police as well as the sheriff's department and other police agencies in St. Lawrence County, because they had leads that pointed them to the Potsdam area.

The car belongs to Theresa Duckett, and she reported it stolen from her Washington Street home at about 6 p.m. Sunday, Fee said.

The cause of death is currently unknown. Premo said foul play is not suspected, and that Eggsware did not die a violent death.

An autopsy is planned to be conducted at 5:30 p.m. today in Potsdam. Premo said he expects it to be inconclusive, pending a toxicology report.

Eggsware made local headlines in 2006 when he assaulted a Tupper Lake village police officer and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Eggsware was released from prison in September, and Fee said he had a recent parole violation. The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision had issued to the village police a warrant for Eggsware's arrest, but it did not specify what the violation was.